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Mets reinstate Minter and Young, place Taylor on IL in roster shuffle

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 25: A.J. Minter #33 of the New York Mets pitches during the game between the New York Mets and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Friday, April 25, 2025 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Alyssa McDaniel/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The sinking Mets made a flurry of roster moves before Tuesday afternoon’s middle game against the Reds at Citi Field. The Mets reinstated A.J. Minter and Jared Young from the Injured List, placed Tyrone Taylor on the 10-Day Injured List with a right hip flexor strain, optioned Nick Morabito and Jonathan Pintaro to Triple-A Syracuse, promoted infielder Eric Wagaman, and will make another corresponding 40-man roster move prior to first pitch at 7:10 p.m. ET.

Minter, who signed a 2-year, $22 million contract in January 2025, underwent season-ending lat surgery in early May after posting a sparkling 1.64 ERA in 13 appearances with the Mets. The left-hander had rehab stints this spring with Single-A St. Lucie, High-A Brooklyn, and most recently Triple-A Syracuse, where he worked a scoreless inning on Sunday. He joins Brooks Raley to form a reliable duo of southpaws at the back end of the Mets’ bullpen. 

Pintaro, who allowed just one baserunner and struck out three in 3.2 innings of work since joining the big league club on Saturday, was the odd man out as Minter makes his return.

Just as the Mets get one position player back from injury, they lose another. After appearing to tweak something while getting out of the box on a ground ball during Monday’s game, Taylor is officially headed to the IL. Carlos Mendoza wouldn’t put a strict timetable on Taylor’s recovery, but expressed hope that it would be two or three weeks.

Meanwhile, Jared Young, who had been sidelined since April 13 with a left meniscus tear, returns from his rehab assignment to a roster now occupied with other left-handed options including MJ Melendez and A.J. Ewing. Young and Melendez will both get the starting nod at first base and left field, respectively, on Tuesday night against Cincinnati starter Chase Burns. Prior to his injury, Young put up an .841 OPS in 23 plate appearances with the Mets.

After exactly one week in the majors, Nick Morabito is headed back to Triple-A in order to keep him playing every day, according to Mendoza. The 23-year-old — who ranked No. 15 on Amazin’ Avenue’s top prospect list entering the season — went hitless in 11 at-bats with the Mets, but flashed his good glove in the outfield.

Eric Wagaman, a late April waiver claim, will join the big league roster for the second time this season in search of his Mets debut. The 28-year-old infielder has a career .674 OPS and 0.0 bWAR in 158 games with the Angels and Marlins, but he was absolutely raking with Syracuse, holding a 1.043 OPS over 52 plate appearances and a .481 batting average over his past eight games.

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K'Andre Miller Blossoming Into The Player The Rangers Thought They Once Had

James Guillory-Imagn Images
James Guillory-Imagn Images

K’Andre Miller has seemed to tap into his potential with the Carolina Hurricanes. 

Selected by the New York Rangers in the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft, the potential was always there. 

Given his 6-foot-5 frame and impressive skating abilities on top of his defensive skill set, the Rangers hoped Miller could blossom into a sure-fire top-four defenseman. 

Despite showing flashes of what he was capable of as a defenseman and once being considered to be a cornerstone on the blueline for the Rangers, Miller’s inconsistent play over his five seasons in New York scared the front office away from giving him a long-term commitment.

When Miller was set to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2025, the Rangers opted to send Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes in a sign-and-trade deal that included a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 or 2027 NHL Draft, and Scott Morrow.

The Hurricanes went ahead and signed Miller to an eight-year, $60 million contract, which was deemed to be a risky move at the time, given some of his inconsistencies and flaws that held him back with the Blueshirts. 

However, Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky and head coach Rod Brind'Amour had a vision for how they planned to utilize Miller in their system, and credit to them, that vision came to fruition. 

The 26-year-old defenseman stepped into a top-four defensive role for the Hurricanes this season while playing valuable minutes on both the power play and penalty kill, showing how well-rounded his game truly is if properly utilized. 

Averaging a career-high 22:14 minutes per game, Miller has certainly wiped away some concerns about his leaky defensive game with the Rangers, proving his capabilities to mold into a shutdown defenseman. 

“He’s been great from Day 1,” Brind’Amour said via The Athletic. “Seemed to just fit in seamlessly. I mean, he has the physical attributes. He’s a great athlete. That’s what you see in those plays. That’s just athletic ability. There’s no scheme or anything. … He’s got reach and he can skate, and that’s what we’ve seen all year.”

Through the Hurricanes’ playoff run thus far, Miller leads all defensemen on the team with seven points, while his 24:02 minutes per game are the most amongst all Carolina players.

“He’s an explosive skater,” Tulsky said. “We ask our defensemen to really gap up and close out, and that ability to get a strong first push and get into a guy faster than he expects, coupled with the reach that he has and his ability to recover with his stick when he gets a little bit caught, it makes him very effective in the way we ask our defensemen to play.”

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Nathan MacKinnon Avoids Worst-Case Scenario As Avalanche Face Elimination

The Colorado Avalanche looked like a team hanging by a thread after Game 3, but the return of Nathan MacKinnon for Game 4 suddenly gives Colorado a pulse again.

Head coach Jared Bednar confirmed Tuesday morning that MacKinnon will suit up despite suffering a frightening knee injury during Saturday night’s 5-3 collapse against the Vegas Golden Knights. Multiple sources also informed The Hockey News on Monday evening that MacKinnon’s X-rays came back completely clear, an encouraging development for an Avalanche team facing elimination.

Colorado still has uncertainty elsewhere in the lineup, however, as Valeri Nichushkin remains a game-time decision after exiting Game 3 late.

“I think we’ll be able to use him (normally),” Bednar told reporters. “He’s feeling a lot better today. We’ll see when he gets on the ice tonight and what the game brings, but he’s feeling pretty good today and feels like he’ll be ready to go.”

MacKinnon Avoids Disaster As Avalanche Search For Life

The injury sequence involving MacKinnon immediately sent panic through bench and fan base.

Midway through the second period of Game 3, the Avalanche superstar dropped to the ice in agony after blocking a shot from Shea Theodore off the outside of his right knee. MacKinnon stayed down for several seconds before finally managing to limp off under his own power while Ball Arena fell silent.

For a brief stretch, it looked like Colorado’s season — and perhaps its summer — had taken an even darker turn.

MacKinnon missed the remainder of the second period and the opening portion of the third while receiving treatment. Although he eventually returned, his usage was noticeably limited. Most of his late-game ice time came during power plays or with the net empty as Colorado desperately tried to erase another devastating loss.

The Avalanche have already been battered physically throughout this playoff run. Cale Makar missed the opening two games of the Western Conference Final with an upper-body injury, while both Sam Malinski and Artturi Lehkonen entered the Vegas series still working their way back from injuries suffered against the Minnesota Wild.

Nichushkin’s situation only added to the concern. The power forward barely saw the ice after the midway point of Game 3 and did not play during the final 22 minutes of regulation.

Now, facing a 3-0 series deficit, Colorado is searching for anything capable of shifting momentum.

Avalanche Turn To Blackwood In Critical Game 4

Bednar is also making a significant change in goal.

Mackenzie Blackwood will start Game 4 in place of Scott Wedgewood, marking Blackwood’s first start since the opening round against the Wild. Wedgewood had largely taken control of the crease late in the regular season and carried that momentum into the playoffs, including an outstanding performance during Colorado’s sweep of the Los Angeles Kings.

But with the Avalanche now staring down elimination, Bednar believes a different look could help reset the group mentally.

“I think Mackenzie’s the type of guy and goalie that plays better when he’s loose and confident and he’s been doing the work to make sure that he’s ready and prepared,” Bednar said. “It’s not a desperation move. It’s just … you’ve got to make a change and see if something else works for me. We felt confident in both these guys all year long. I felt like (Wedgewood) kind of earned the net in (Games) 1 and 2 and we gave him the shot in (Game) 3 and we didn’t get it done. It’s not on him, either. It’s on our team.

“We’re just looking for (Blackwood) to come in and play to the best of his ability and be loose and have fun. The whole team’s kind of in that mode right now, and I think if you can do that, you might see the best of him.”

That mindset may be Colorado’s only option left.

The Avalanche are wounded, frustrated, and suddenly out of room for mistakes — but with MacKinnon cleared to play and Blackwood stepping into the spotlight, they at least have one more chance to stop this series from slipping away completely.

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Cavaliers make Kenny Atkinson decision after getting swept by Knicks

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows A man in a black long-sleeved shirt with a gold emblem on the left shoulder, arms crossed, looking intently, Image 2 shows Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson and two assistant coaches watch the game from the bench
Kenny Atkinson future

The Cavaliers are sticking with Kenny Atkinson. 

Despite an ugly sweep at the hands of the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals, the franchise is bringing its head coach back next season, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. 

Atkinson, who has been the head coach in Cleveland for the past two seasons, guided the Cavaliers back to the conference finals this year for the first time in eight years before their postseason run came to a screeching halt against the NBA Finals-bound Knicks. 

Head coach Kenny Atkinson of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts during the third quarter against the New York Knicks in Game Four of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena on May 25, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. Getty Images

A year ago, Cleveland went a franchise-best 64-18 during the regular season and earned the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, helping Atkinson win NBA Coach of the Year in his first season. 

The Cavaliers playoff run would be cut short after falling to the eventual East champion Pacers in the semifinals. 

Cleveland took a step back record-wise during the regular season, but entered the postseason with championship ambitions after a blockbuster trade for James Harden before the deadline that sent young point guard Darius Garland and a 2026 second-round pick to the Clippers. 

A few bizarre incidents during the sweep at the hands of the Knicks had some assuming Atkinson would be on his way out. 

In Game 1, Atkinson called just one timeout while the Knicks went on a 30-8 run in the fourth quarter before eventually winning in overtime. 

He later explained that he likes to “hold my timeouts.” 

Atkinson was criticized plenty during the series. Getty Images

After his team went down 3-0 in the series, Atkinson claimed that the Cavs were “analytically” winning the series. 

“I think analytically, we’ve won two out of three in the expected score,” Atkinson said. 

“I don’t know if you guys follow that, the expected score. And I know you’re looking confused.” 

It likely helped Atkinson’s cause that his star players had his back. 

Harden backed up Atkinson after the Game 4 loss Monday, calling him the “ultimate players’ coach.” 

“He understands his team,” Harden said. “Of course, somebody’s going to have to take criticism, whether it’s myself or Kenny or whoever, the entire team. They’re going to put it on somebody.” 

Kenny Atkinson coaching during Game 4. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

“But I think for Kenny, he did an unbelievable job of getting me acclimated as fast as possible to understanding what I’m supposed to be doing out there. It’s just an unfortunate situation. Any team coming off of a tough, two series against two defensive monsters, it would have been challenging.” 

Donovan Mitchell echoed the sentiment. 

“We’ve done something that we haven’t done since 2018,” Mitchell said Monday night. “I love Kenny. We love Kenny. We ride with Kenny, and ultimately that’s all that matters.”

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Chicago Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates preview, Tuesday 5/26, 5:40 CT

Tuesday notes…

  • NOT SOMETHING YOU HAD HOPED TO READ THIS YEAR: The Cubs are the 26th team since 1901 to have at least one double-digit winning streak and at least one losing streak of nine games in the same season. The Guardians were the previous team to do it. Last year, they won 10 and lost 10, to become the 19th team with double-digit streaks of both kinds. The three others with 10 or more wins and at least nine losses since 2000 were the Dodgers in 2017 (11 of each), Guardians in 2008 (10 of each) and Pirates in 2004 (10 and nine). The Cubs did it once before, in 1970 (10 and 12). The Guardians have had four seasons of at least 10 and nine; the Orioles and Senators/Twins, three; and the Phillies, Pirates, Red Sox and Reds, two. Teams besides the Cubs with one: Athletics, Braves, Brewers, Dodgers, Giants, Yankees and White Sox. That makes a total of 15 teams that have done it at least once. The 1976 White Sox and 1985 Twins both won 10 and lost nine and 10. The 1987 Orioles won 11 and lost nine and 10. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
  • CAN’T WIN IF YOU DON’T SCORE: Yesterday’s game was the 12th this season in which the Cubs gave up exactly two runs. They have lost three of them. They are 3-0 when yielding both no runs and one. They are 2-2 with three runs allowed, 6-4 with four, 3-3 with five — and 6-16 with five or more. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
  • LIKE NIGHT AND DAY: After Monday’s loss, the Cubs are only 13-15 in day games, while going 16-10 under the lights.
  • TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: A two-run homer by Alfonso Soriano in the eighth ties the game against the Reds and a double by Welington Castillo in the ninth gives the team a 5-4 win in Cincinnati. The win ends a six-game losing streak. It happened 13 years ago today, Sunday, May 26, 2013.

Cubs lineup:

Pirates lineup:

Jordan Wicks, LHP vs. Braxton Ashcraft, RHP

So here we are, with another pitcher from Triple-A Iowa pressed into service because of a rotation injury.

Jordan Wicks was the Cubs’ No. 1 pick out of Kansas State in 2021 and there were great hopes for him to be a solid starter. He did reasonably well in seven starts in 2023 but the next two years were filled with bad pitching and injuries. This year, he suffered nerve irritation in his left forearm and had to start the year on the IL, then had a rehab assignment to Triple-A Iowa and then one start there after being optioned.

Potential hope: Over his last three starts at Iowa, Wicks has allowed only one run in 15 total innings. His walk rate is a bit high, though.

This, obviously, is his MLB season debut for 2026. Hopefully it goes well. The pitch chart below is from last year. It was obviously a very different Pirates team, but Wicks made his MLB debut at PNC Park Aug. 26, 2023 and threw five two-hit innings, striking out nine. Perhaps he can channel that tonight. To date, that’s Wicks’ only career appearance against the Pirates.

Braxton Ashcraft has done well as a full-time member of the Pirates rotation this year: 10 starts, 2.89 ERA, 1.027 WHIP. That includes five innings of one-run ball against the Cubs April 11 at Wrigley Field.

This month he has a 1.91 ERA and 0.882 WHIP in four starts, with 26 strikeouts and only four walks in 28.1 innings.

So tonight will not be an easy task for Cubs hitters.

Here is the weather forecast for the area around PNC Park.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network.

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Pirates site Bucs Dugout. If you do go there to interact with Pirates fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.

You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.

The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.

You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

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Here’s how to watch Spurs vs. Thunder Game 5 for free: Time, livestream

New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change.

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives to the basket against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Four of the NBA Western Conference Finals

The East has been decided, but things in the West are all tied up again.

In Sunday’s Game 4, San Antonio Spurs delivered a dominant 103–82 blowout victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder to tie the Western Conference Finals at 2–2.

After taking blame for the team’s Game 3 loss, Victor Wembanyama responded with 33 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three blocks in Game 4. The newly crowned first-team All-NBA selection capped off the first half with a spectacular, buzzer-beating 65-foot three-pointer from the midcourt stripe.

Oklahoma City, which had scored at least 108 points in every single postseason game before Sunday, could not get past San Antonio’s physical, disciplined defensive game plan. The team shot 33% from the field and turned the ball over 20 times.

NBA Western conference finals: what to know
  • What: San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
  • When: May 26, 8 p.m. ET
  • Where: Paycom Center (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
  • Channel: NBC
  • Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)

A Game 6 in this series is guaranteed; the series will move back to San Antonio for a Thursday night matchup.

Spurs vs. Thunder start time:

Spurs vs. Thunder Game 5 is scheduled to tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET tonight, May 26.

How to watch Spurs vs. Thunder for free:

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the game for free.

DIRECTV is our top pick for watching basketball live for free — its five-day free trial includes NBC (plus nearly every other channel you’ll need for the rest of the NBA postseason). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $44.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.

TRY DIRECTV FOR FREE

Sling TV is another affordable way to watch TV live and stream NBA games; its Select plan includes NBC and starts at $19.99/month.

NBA Western Conference Finals schedule

  • Game 1: Spurs 122, Thunder 115 (OT2)
  • Game 2: Thunder 122, Spurs 113
  • Game 3: Thunder 123, Spurs 108
  • Game 4: Spurs 103, Thunder 82
  • Game 5: Tuesday, May 26 (8:30 ET, NBC/Peacock)
  • Game 6: Thursday, May 28 (8:30 ET, NBC/Peacock)
  • Game 7: Saturday, May 30 (8 ET, NBC/Peacock)*

* if necessary

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Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post

This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.

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Lakers hire Pelicans exec Rohan Ramadas as assistant GM in latest move to bolster their front office

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers have hired Rohan Ramadas as their assistant general manager of strategy and data systems, making the first major move of their offseason to bolster their front office under new ownership.

The Lakers announced the decision Tuesday to add Ramadas, who spent the past nine years working with the New Orleans Pelicans, including the past two as their vice president of strategy and basketball operations. He will be in charge of “basketball analytics and strategic initiatives for basketball operations,” the Lakers said in a statement.

Ramadas is a University of Southern California graduate and a Bay Area native who also spent 12 years working in the aerospace industry.

“Rohan is an important and strong addition to our front office as we further build out our basketball operations resources,” general manager Rob Pelinka said. “His unique blend of career experiences and analytical expertise will further strengthen the strong work already taking place internally within our data analytics and salary cap management teams.”

Pelinka repeated earlier this month that the Lakers intend to add talent to their executive suite in a transformation of the organization under the ownership of Mark Walter. The Los Angeles Dodgers owner bought a controlling stake in the Lakers last year from the Buss family, which had a fraction of Walter's financial resources.

Several of Walter's top executives with the Dodgers have already taken an active role in working with the Lakers. Lon Rosen, a longtime Dodgers executive who previously served as Magic Johnson's agent, joined the Lakers as their president of business operations in February.

The Lakers also intend to hire a second assistant general manager to oversee scouting and player development, Pelinka said.

The Lakers won their second straight Pacific Division title and reached the playoffs for the fourth straight season this spring. Los Angeles then upset Houston in the first round despite the absence of injured superstar Luka Doncic, but was subsequently swept by Oklahoma City in the second round.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

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Blues Prospect Is Leaving The Organization; Returning To Finland

Former St. Louis Blues third-round pick Leo Loof will leave the organization and return to Finland to play for Ilves, the team announced on Tuesday. 

Loof's contract has expired, and he was set to become a restricted free agent on July 1. 

Prior to signing his entry-level contract with the Blues, Loof played for Ilves, where he scored eight goals and 26 points in 103 games as a defenseman across two seasons. 

Upon signing with the Blues, Loof was sent to play in the AHL with the Springfield Thunderbirds. In three seasons, the 24-year-old scored two goals and 30 points in 168 games. 

This past season, Loof played in 47 regular-season games but did not dress for any of the 12 post-season games. 

Standing 6-foot-1, Loof exits the organization with no NHL experience and ultimately, in disappointing fashion. While Loof was never known for his offensive game, that facet never improved, and his defense was never as stout as it needed to be to earn a shutdown role.

St. Louis Blues Have Seven RFAs This Off-SeasonSt. Louis Blues Have Seven RFAs This Off-SeasonThe St. Louis Blues will have seven restricted free agents this off-season, highlighted by Jonatan Berggren and Matthew Kessel.

Drafted in the third round (88th overall) in the 2020 NHL draft, Loof will now join an Ilves team that finished in fourth place in the Liiga season. Ilves lost to Tappara, the eventual Liiga winners, in the semifinals before losing to SaiPa in a one-game third-place game. 

In addition to adding Loof, Ilves has also signed goaltender Christoffer Rifalk, defenseman Tony Sund, and forwards Aleks Haatanen, Topias Hynninen, Jan-Mikael Järvinen, Benjamin Korhonen, and Jaakko Lantta.

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The Rays have a closer, outfield defense has improved, and other things we’ve learned over 51 games

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 22: Bryan Baker #47 of the Tampa Bay Rays reacts after pitching during the ninth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on May 22, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Tampa Bay Rays won 4-2. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Many factors have contributed to the strong start, but what have we actually learned that we didn’t already expect entering the season?

Pitching

The Rays entered the season with a much stronger pitching outlook than they had in 2025 thanks to the additions of Martinez and Matz, along with the return to the pitcher-friendly Trop. McClanahan’s return from injury has also gone about as well as the organization could have hoped – especially when considering he hasn’t pitched in a Major League game since 2023. Rasmussen continues to be as reliable as they come, and Jax’s much-anticipated transition to the rotation has gone well so far. Pepiot’s injury was surprising and disappointing, but the depth has held up and we haven’t really learned anything new about the rotation.

We also knew the bullpen had plenty depth, and that depth has already been tested with Uceta and Wilson on the 60-day IL to begin the season. IL stints from Cleavinger and now Sulser have further tested that depth. Despite those injury concerns, the bullpen has performed relatively well. They’re roughly league average in earned runs per batter faced — a useful bullpen metric because it accounts for workload — and middle of the pack in save-plus-hold conversion rate. Ben Williamson (a position player who has pitched 1 inning), Yoendrys Gomez, Chase Solesky, and Aaron Brooks have combined for a 7.48 ERA in 21.2 IP this season and are skewing the bullpen performance quite a bit.

One thing we’ve learned: the Rays have a closer, and his name is Bryan Baker. All offseason the idea was there would be a “closer by committee” approach, but that hasn’t happened, although Cash will use Baker to pitch the eighth inning if that’s when the heart of the opposing lineup is batting. There are still four relievers with multiple saves and I expect that to continue to some extent, but Baker has made the most of the opportunity given to him.

Position Players

We knew the catching group would be better on both sides of the ball compared to 2025. It has been a bit of a surprise to see Nick Fortes get so much playing time – he has appeared in 42 of the team’s 51 games so far while Feduccia has played in 29. The Rays currently have the 12th best wRC+ from their catching group and are 3rd in framing strike rate. The duo we have right now is looking good, and Dom Keegan could see some reps in the majors at some point later in the summer.

The infield (plus DH) is still the strongest group of players on this team. Aranda, Caminero, and Yandy lead the way while Williamson and Palacios have made solid contributions so far. Taylor Walls surprised everyone with a quick return from an early IL stint, and it was good timing too as the game appeared to be a little too quick for Carson Williams. The infield has converted ground balls into outs at roughly a league-average rate, but I expect that to improve a bit as Caminero continues to find his groove defensively and Williamson gets more comfortable with his transition to second base.

The outfield has been better, but that was expected. The improvement has been driven by a shift towards more plate discipline and contact profiles on the offensive side while year-over-year improvements from Cedric Mullins and Chandler Simpson have helped make this unit one of the better defensive groups in the league. The Rays convert fly balls and line drives into outs 61.8% of the time – the third highest rate in the league and well above the average of 57.7%. Unsurprisingly to some, Ryan Vilade has been impactful on both sides of the ball with his 140 wRC+ and three defensive runs saved in the outfield.

The main thing we’ve learned is that the new Rays offense works. The run environment is different than it was a few years ago, and the Rays have put together an offense that is built for it. I expected them to be a playoff team, but I didn’t expect a 108-win pace. This pace is unlikely to hold for any club over a full season, but this looks like a legitimate playoff team. It’ll be interesting to see how aggressively the Rays approach the deadline as they try to improve the roster while also managing the coming Rule 5 crunch.

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Former Braves star Bob Horner passes away at age 68

ATLANTA, GA - CIRCA 1982: Bob Horner #5 of the Atlanta Braves bats during an Major League Baseball game circa 1982 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Horner played for the Braves from 1978-86. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images

This has been a rough year when it comes to notable names in Atlanta Braves history passing away. There was the double blow of losing both Ted Turner and Bobby Cox within the same week and now a former player has passed on. The Braves somberly shared the news that former star Bob Horner has passed away at the age of 68.

As the post shared, Horner left an indelible mark on the franchise while he donned the Atlanta uniform. He was picked first overall in 1978, he didn’t play a single game in the minors before making his big league debut and just to show that he belonged, he clubbed a homer in his first game as well and eventually earned the National League Rookie of the Year honors for that season.

Horner went on to spend nine seasons with the Braves where he earned an All-Star spot in 1982, hit four homers in a game in 1986 and he finished his Braves career with a slash line of .277/.340/.499 with an OPS of .839 and a OPS+ of 127. After becoming a free agent, he spent one season with the Yakult Swallows in Japan (which ended up being the best spot for him after it came out that the owners were colluding against free agents at the time) before joining the St. Louis Cardinals for the season after that. A shoulder injury derailed Horner’s time in St. Louis and he eventually called it a career once spring training rolled around the next season.

There wasn’t a ton for Braves fans to cheer about during the 1980s but if there was something to cheer about, there was a decent chance that it involved either Dale Murphy or Bob Horner. He remained a popular figure among Braves fans who had been fans during that time and he’s still a name that comes up whenever fans from that era reminisce about those days. He’ll be missed among fans across Braves Country. May he rest in peace.

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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Brett Baty, Gage Jump and Daniel Lynch IV

FANTASY BASEBALL WAIVER WIRE PICKUPS

Brett Baty (1B/2B/3B/OF Mets): Rostered in 10 percent of Yahoo leagues

It took Baty longer to get going than anyone would have liked. but he does seem to have turned the corner while hitting .293 with two homers, eight RBI and six walks in his last 12 games. And he's doing that while playing regularly against lefties, not because he's succeeding against them but because the Mets just don't have any better options. Their injury issues, which have led to Baty batting fourth and fifth against righties, definitely play a role in making Baty a smart pickup at this time.

⚾️ Baseball is back! MLB returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026! In addition to becoming the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports will broadcast MLB Sunday Leadoff, “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, the entire Wild Card round of the postseason, and much more.

There was some genuine optimism about Baty coming into the year after he hit .291 with nine homers in the second half of last year and improved his exit velocity numbers. He hasn't really built on any of that so far, but he's still showing 84th percentile bat speed while maintaining the improvement in his chase rate. There's still too much swing-and-miss in his game, but he has the power to make up for it, if only his 10 barrels so far had translated into more than three homers. There really ought to be more doubles and homers on the way with his groundball rate right around the league average; he's at 43 percent right now after coming into the year at 52 percent lifetime.

Also making Baty attractive is his wealth of position eligibility. He's added first base and outfield to the mix this year after starting 60 games at third base and 46 at second base last season. It's too bad for him that the Mets play in a tough ballpark and aren't providing a lot of run and RBI opportunities at the moment, but full-time at-bats from Baty as both an MI and a CI option make him worth rostering right now.

▶ Read this week’s MLB Power Rankings!

Gage Jump (SP Athletics): Rostered in 11 percent of Yahoo leagues

Two years after being drafted 73rd overall out of LSU, Jump is set to make his major league debut Tuesday against the Mariners. The 24-year-old struck out one-third of the batters he faced in nine starts for Triple-A Las Vegas, amassing a 56/20 K/BB in 38 innings. He had a 4.50 ERA, but that's fine in a very tough environment for pitchers.

Jump's short-arm delivery produces 94-98 mph fastballs and very good mid-80s sliders. His split-change lacks much movement, so he'll start his major league career leaning on his top two pitches. If the command is there, the two offerings will make him an above average starter right away. However, his walk rate is up to 11.8 percent this year after coming in at 7.4 percent at lower levels last year. Before throwing seven scoreless innings last time out, he'd topped out at 4 2/3 innings in his first eight starts for Las Vegas. Part of that was because the A's were handling him carefully, but it was also true that it was taking him about 80 pitches to get through four innings. On May 8, he threw 103 pitches to get 14 outs.

Maybe Jump actually did turn the corner after that May 8 outing against the St. Paul Saints. He'd thrown 11 scoreless innings with a 15/1 K/BB since. He's overwhelmed lefties all year, limiting them to a .118 average. Righties, though, have hit .296 off him, and one can be sure MLB teams will set their lineups accordingly. With the Athletics' temporary home in Sacramento playing as an extreme hitter's park, Jump seems too risky to try in mixed leagues right now.

Daniel Lynch IV (RP Royals): Rostered in five percent of Yahoo leagues

After giving up three runs and throwing 32 pitches against the Mariners on Sunday, Lucas Erceg should not have been back on the mound for the Royals trying to protect a one-run lead against the Yankees on Monday. But there he was, and though the Yankees did not hit the ball particularly hard against him, he gave up two more runs to take his second loss and fourth blown save of the year. He has a 5.06 ERA and a poor 18/13 K/BB in 21 1/3 innings.

Working prior to Erceg on Monday was Lynch. The left-hander threw a scoreless eighth and would have been in line for a win if Erceg had converted the save. The outing lowered Lynch's ERA to 1.59. He has a 27/7 K/BB and has allowed just one homer in 22 2/3 innings. At this point, he seems like the Royals' best option in the ninth.

Previously a weak starter and then a generic reliever, Lynch has busted out by trading four-seamers for sinkers and improving his slider. He combats righties with a trusty changeup that has always served him well. He has a 95th percentile whiff rate this year, and his strikeout rate has climbed from 16 percent last season to 30 percent right now. Maybe he shouldn't be getting all of the save chances for the Royals; especially with Matt Strahm out, he will be needed to face lefties earlier in games on occasion. But Lynch is the Royals' most trustworthy arm right now, and with Erceg looking like middle-relief material, he seems worthy of a pickup.

Waiver Wire Quick Hits

- Instead of Jump, Christian Scott (13 percent rostered), Jack Leiter (31 percent), Griffin Jax (29 percent) and Troy Melton (17 percent) are some mostly available starters worth a try in shallow leagues.

- Jake McCarthy is leading off for the Rockies and getting all of the playing time he can handle with Mickey Moniak, Brenton Doyle and Jordan Beck all on the IL for Colorado. He's a fine short-term option for teams looking to add stolen bases.

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Is Nathan MacKinnon playing tonight? Latest update on Avalanche star

The Colorado Avalanche will have star Nathan MacKinnon in the lineup on Tuesday, May 26, as they try to stave off elimination against the Vegas Golden Knights.

MacKinnon was injured while blocking a shot in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals and was limited for the remainder of the game, a 5-3 loss in which the Avalanche blew a 3-0 lead.

Coach Jared Bednar told reporters on Tuesday that MacKinnon would play. However, he indicated forward Valeri Nichushkin is a game-time decision. "We'll see," he said.

Bednar is also making a goalie change, announcing Mackenzie Blackwood as the starter. Scott Wedgewood had started the first three games of the series.

"If he's loose and confident and playing his game, I think he has the ability to not only win us games, but steal us games," Bednar said of Blackwood.

The Golden Knights lead the best-of-seven series 3-0 and can clinch a spot in the Stanley Cup Final with a victory.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nathan MacKinnon injury update: Latest news on Avalanche star

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Islanders sign speedster Liam Foudy to two-way contract extension

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows New York Islanders player Liam Foudy running a drill during practice on the ice rink, Image 2 shows New York Islanders player Liam Foudy moving the puck with Detroit Red Wings player Simon Edvinsson in pursuit during a game at UBS Arena
Islanders sign

The Islanders signed forward Liam Foudy to a one-year, two-way contract extension, the team announced Tuesday. 

Foudy, who has spent almost all of his time under contract with the Isles in the AHL, appeared in just one NHL game last season, the final contest of the 2025-26 campaign against the Hurricanes on April 14. 

New York Islanders Liam Foudy runs a drill during practice at the Northwell Health Ice Center, Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, in East Meadow, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

“I’ve watched Foudy since junior. His speed is always the first thing that pops. And everybody’s looking for speed,” head coach Pete DeBoer said when the team called Foudy up.

“Again, there’s late bloomers all the time. There’s always guys that get it a little bit later than others. That doesn’t necessarily mean you’re gonna hit on all those guys. And it might be one out of 10. If you can get that one out of 10 guy that is that late bloomer, that took a little bit longer, that becomes a really effective NHL player, a lot of teams have them, that’s a big bonus for an organization. I think it’s important to keep those guys on your radar.”

Having played for three different NHL organizations in his career, Foudy has collected 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) through 105 games. 

He’s played 230 contests across two AHL campaigns with Bridgeport, posting 46 goals and 46 assists. 

New York Islanders Liam Foudy moves the puck down ice as Simon Edvinsson #77 of the Detroit Red Wings gives chase during the first period at UBS Arena, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in Elmont, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

The 26-year-old set an AHL career high in power-play goals this past season with five, while also recording six game-winners.

His 47 points were also ranked second on Bridgeport, behind only Adam Beckman (51 points). 

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Kendrick Perkins has extreme suggestion for Cavaliers after ‘embarrassing’ showing vs. Knicks

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers looking on, Image 2 shows A commentator on ESPN discussing whether the Cavs had a problem with their effort in the East Finals after being swept by the Knicks
Perkins on Cavs effort

The lack of competitiveness of the Eastern Conference finals was offensive to Kendrick Perkins.

The ESPN analyst went off on the Cleveland Cavaliers after they lost each game by double digits to the Knicks in the four-game sweep.

“They got punked, and they got embarrassed,” Perkins said on “First Take” on Tuesday morning.

“It was an embarrassment for the league to witness that. The lack of competition to compete in between the lines at this stage.”

Donovan Mitchell and the Cavaliers got outclassed by the Knicks. Getty Images

Perkins went as far as to say that everyone in the organization should be on the chopping block, even after they were part of the final four teams in the playoffs. 

“If I’m Dan Gilbert, I’m looking at every single person on that roster, every single person on that coaching staff, and I’m saying everybody is on the chopping block. Every single one of them,” Perkins said. “We are not going to give Donovan Mitchell a pass. Those points was cute, but they weren’t powerful.”

This was the fourth straight year in which the Cavaliers made the playoffs, improving steadily and now reaching the conference finals for the first time since 2018. 

It is not just Perkins who was upset with the outcome of the latest series.

Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert made a post on X, citing how the effort displayed by his team was “nowhere near where they needed to be.”

While the sweep and the Game 1 meltdown had some calling for coach Kenny Atkinson’s job, the Cavaliers are retaining him, according to ESPN.

Kendrick Perkins went in on the Cavaliers. @awfulannouncing/X

The Cavaliers will also have important decisions to make regarding key players on the 2025 squad, which had the highest payroll in the NBA.

Firstly, their big trade deadline acquisition, James Harden, is set to be a free agent this offseason and was making $39.4 million at 36 years old.

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Fellow star guard Donovan Mitchell is eligible for a contract extension this offseason. Mitchell is making a team-high $46.4 million, tied with Evan Mobley. 

Both players have indicated that they are interested in continuing what they built in Cleveland. But that decision will ultimately come down to general manager Mike Gansey. 

He will be tasked with putting the right pieces in place for the Cavaliers to return to the NBA finals.

However, it will take a long time to get the bad taste of the recent series out of their mouth.

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Where to watch San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Game 5 NBA playoffs: Live stream, start time, TV channel, odds for Tuesday, May 26

The San Antonio Spurs take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals. The series is tied 2-2 after the Spurs’ Game 4 victory. Oklahoma City is favored with a -192 moneyline compared to San Antonio's +159. The over/under is 216.5.

  • Spread: Oklahoma City Thunder -5.5

  • Moneyline: Oklahoma City Thunder -192 (63.0%) / San Antonio Spurs +159 (37.0%)

  • Over/Under: 216.5

Game 1:Spurs 122, Thunder 115 (2OT)
Game 2:Thunder 122, Spurs 113
Game 3:Thunder 123, Spurs 108
Game 4: Spurs 103, Thunder 82
Game 5: San Antonio at Oklahoma City (Tuesday May 26, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)
Game 6: Oklahoma City at San Antonio (Thursday May 28, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)*
Game 7: San Antonio at Oklahoma City (Saturday May 30, 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)*

* if necessary